To address population growth, Canada has decided to retreat from its once-open approach to immigration by lowering the number of permanent residents coming to the country.
The government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau disclosed that the country is now planning to reduce the influx of newcomers as the public’s opinion on immigration begins to shift.
Naturenex reports that this development will bring about a 20% decrease in immigration into Canada.
In the most recent immigration strategy presented by Immigration Minister Marc Miller on Thursday, Canada is expected to welcome around 395,000 permanent residents in 2025, which represents a decrease of nearly 20% from the expected 485,000 this year.
The strategy also outlines a goal for temporary immigrants, such as international students and foreign workers, with their numbers projected to decrease to approximately 446,000 in 2025 and 2026, a significant drop from the current figure of about 800,000. By 2027, Canada plans to only accept 17,400 new non-permanent residents.
These changes are anticipated to result in a projected decrease in population of 0.2% over the next two years, moving away from the strong population growth of 3% seen in the second quarter of this year.
If the government achieves its objectives, it would represent the first time in Canada’s history that the population has declined since the 1950s.
During a press conference, Trudeau described the strategy as a ‘pause’ in population growth, aimed at providing time for various levels of government to enhance healthcare, housing, and social services to meet the needs of future populations.
